How to Quit a Job: Dos and Don'ts

Learning how to quit a job could potentially save professional
relationships for you and help you out in the long run. Here are some
of the dos and don'ts associated with how to quit your job.

Quit in Writing

Although you might feel obligated to have a conversation with someone
about your resignation, in most cases, you should write a resignation
letter. A resignation letter is going to look much more professional
than simply walking into your boss's office and saying that you quit. By
quitting through a resignation letter, you will be able to spend some
time and choose the most appropriate wording. When you are in the heat
of the moment, there is a good chance that you will forget some of the
things that you wanted to say. When you write a resignation letter, you
should be able to word it carefully and avoid saying anything that you
will regret.

Do Not Apologize

Even though you may feel obligated to apologize for quitting on your
employer, resist the temptation. This is not something that you should
apologize for doing. You are bettering yourself by moving on to a bigger
and better opportunity. If you avoid apologizing for quitting, you are
going to look much more professional.

Avoid Getting Personal

When you are quitting your job, you should avoid getting personal at
all costs. Many people think that they should rehash all of the personal
conflicts that they have had with their employers over the years. If
you avoid the temptation to get personal, you are going to help yourself
in the future. You never know when you will want to use this employer
as a reference for a job opportunity in the future. Make sure that you
do not insult anyone or say anything that you will regret later. Try to
be as professional as possible and do not burn any bridges with your
superiors.

Be Specific

Many people start out a meeting or letter with the objective of
stating that they are quitting, but they never actually get around to
doing so. They go into a meeting or write a letter without ever actually
saying that they want to quit. Instead of making your resignation sound
like a complaining session, you need to get straight to the point. Tell
your employer that you want to quit and you want to finish your job on a
certain date. If you beat around the bush, your employer might think
that you are trying to get a raise or something else.

Give Notice

Although you might be tempted to yell at your boss and walk out, you
need to be sure to give him or her some notice of your departure. The
old rule of thumb is to give your employer two weeks' notice. This is a
good goal to shoot for, but it may not have to be exactly two weeks.
Your employer might need you to stick around for only one week until he
or she can hire someone else. Just let your boss know that you are
willing to remain in your job for at least two more weeks if your
employer needs you to do so.

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